Defense & Aerospace Report

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses what’s next now that Israel has killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other of the Lebanese Shia militia’s top commanders as well as truck Houthi targets in Yemen; how the moves could help deter Tehran from further provocations; and challenges associated with impending Israeli ground operations in Southern Lebanon; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the broader investment implications of continuing unrest in the Middle East; broader geoeconomic and geopolitical takeaways from the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Forum in New York last week, including Russia’s improving if more expensive defense capabilities and that the US-China relationship is “stabilizing,” and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street sets another record on sinking inflation and more Fed rate cuts; Boeing’s strike continues as questions aspire about CEO Kelly Ortberg’s leadership; the National Transportation Safety Board recommends action on Boeing 737 jetliners after a recent rudder incident on a United Airlines flight; HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding discovered and reported to the Navy that one of its workers had “knowingly” made defective welds in submarines and aircraft carriers, although not in critical areas; suddenly blended-wing-body aircraft have become all the rage as the COP29 climate summit prepares to convene Nov. 11-22 in Azerbaijan; President Biden’s denial of permission for Western nations to allow Ukraine to use donated weapons against Russia; budget challenges across Europe; and a far right win in Austria.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bipartisan approach to securing a stopgap spending measure to keep the government funded until after the election; what’s on the lame duck agenda; despite pressure from closest allies and Ukraine’s leader President Biden continues to block use of Western weapons against Russia after Vladimir Putin’s latest nuclear threats; the message other nuclear-armed states are learning when Washington is so easily deterred by nuclear saber-rattling; China tests an ICBM as its first in class nuclear attack submarine sinks pierside; AUKUS Pillar 2; Israel expands its offensive against Hezbollah and Lebanon while also increasing operations in the West Bank; and analysis of a close US presidential race five weeks before Election Day.

We’ve been talking a lot about the USAF recently, so it’s time for some naval contemplation. Longtime F-14 RIO Cdr. Ward Carroll joins us to talk Naval Aviation, including its future and current air and missile defense ops. Dr. Tom Karako of CSIS brings us up to date on other air and missile defense news. And we have headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On this week’s Technology Report, John Cofrancesco, the founder of the new artificial intelligence firm Applied AI Company, discusses takeaways from the congressional hearing with CrowdStrike executives on the recent software update error from the cyber security firm that precipitated global disruptions, the role of AI to make to avert such mistakes in the future, how the Pentagon’s AI ecosystem is evolving and the key to driving innovation, supply chain lessons in the wake of Israel’s use of global supply chains to produce exploding pagers and walkie talkies, countering spoofing of critical control systems including on commercial aircraft, and helping foster a new generation of more cyber and AI savvy legislators and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Amb. John Herbst, a former US ambassador to both Uzbekistan and Ukraine who is now the senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington to convince President Biden to allow Western weapons to be used against targets in Russia, the Biden administration’s logic in blocking the use of weapons against sites used by Moscow to attack Ukraine, why US forbearance is merely emboldening Vladimir Putin, why it’s vital Ukraine wins the war and what’s needed to achieve that aim, how America and its allies need to do to better deter Russia, the need for a strategy to counter Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, whether Europe can support Ukraine if US leaders decide against further assistance, and how much longer the conflict is likely to continue.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses Ukraine’s long-range attack on Russia’s ammunition depot at Toropets destroying months worth of artillery shells and other weapons; President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington to ask President Biden to reconsider his opposition to the use of Western weapons against Russia; and how both sides are rapidly adapting unmanned systems and defenses; Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the budget outlook as House Speaker Mike Johnson seeks to fund the government beyond Sept. 30; takeaways from the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air Space Cyber conference and tradeshow last week; the outlook for the Air Force’s flagship manned fighter element of the Next-Generation Air Dominance family of systems that is being reconsidered by the service’s leadership; changing industrial and threat dynamics; and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss another big week on Wall Street after a larger than expected Federal Reserve rate cut; the industrial impact of President Biden’s decision to use US arms export regulations to veto Britain and France’s desire to allow Ukraine to use their weapons against Russia; with Boeing machinists on strike, CEO Kelly Ortberg initiates a furlough plan suggesting a longer work stoppage; news report that Ted Colbert will be replaced by Steve Parker at Boeing Defense Space and Security; China Development Bank’s order 80 Airbus A320 and 50 Boeing Max jets; duration of strike by workers at Textron’s Cessna and Hawker; the US Army picks Anduril’s Ghost X and Performance Drone Works’ C-100 as the service’s company-level “attritable” drone; Rob Dewar, father of the Bombardier C series, joins JetZero; outlook for the penetrating counter air element of the US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance family of programs in the wake of the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual Air Space Cyber conference last week and possible substitutes for the high-end manned fighter; what a new USAF plan means for the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Aircraft Program or the SCAP effort involving France, Germany and Spain; the USAF’s request for information for a next-generation tanker; the credit rating implications of a lengthy Boeing strike; and the Boeing-Embraer agreement after the American company called off its union with the Brazilian firm.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian discuss Congress' failure to pass a measure to keep government open after 30 Sept., Ukraine continues to call for Western arms to be cleared for use against Russia as President Biden stalls approvals as Russian forces push back in Kursk and threaten to make significant gains in Donbas, the leaders of the Quad prepare to convene in Delaware as China expands its offensive operations to Australia and Japan, the White House prepares to block Nippon Steel's offer to buy US Steel, AUKUS celebrates its second birthday, and Israel uses exploding pagers and walkie-talkies to stymie Hezbollah's command and control as the Lebanese militia and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vow retaliation.

We spent three days at the Air and Space Forces Association conference. What did we learn? We review the biggest airpower event of the year with John Tirpak of Air and Space Forces magazine and Dean David Deptula of the Mitchell Institute. Plus we catch up on CCAs and the F-35 with Matt Milas, President of Defense and Space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. And airpower headlines beyond AFA. Powered by GE!

On this innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Raj Shah, the former director of the Defense Innovation Unit who is a cofounder of Shield Capital, and Dr. Chris Kirchhoff, the former director of strategic planning at the National Security Council during the Obama administration who founded the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss their new book — Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War — their concern the United States isn’t ready for a new era of warfare, the most important lessons from the Ukraine war, whether the Pentagon has identified the big problems it needs to solve to prevail in wars against China and Russia, the importance of presidential leadership in driving change across DoD, progress since DIU was founded, the venture capital environment, and role of allies and partners. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

Adm. Mike Rogers, USN Ret., a former director of the National Security Agency and commander of US Cyber Command who is now the chairman of the advisory board of cybersecurity firm Claroty, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the recent revelation that Chinese hackers have for the first time taken the provocative step of installing malware in key US infrastructure; how Washington must respond to restore deterrence, the range of actions the Biden administration should consider including a targeted cyber operations to damage the Chinese economy; actions Congress should take to curb Chinese access to US technology and networks; countering the growing coordination among China, Russia, Iran and North Korea; increasingly sophisticated Russian efforts to undermine US elections; and why creating an independent cyber force is a bad idea.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the potential impact of the “Future of European Competitiveness” report drafted by former Italian prime minister and European Central Bank President Dr. Mario Draghi on behalf of the European Union; takeaways from the Chamber of Commerce’s Aerospace Summit, the Future of Defense event by New America and Arizona State University, and Morgan Stanley’s Laguna conference including analysis of Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden’s comments that the company could reenter the stealthy fighter element of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance effort if the service makes requirements changes; what to expect at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air Space Cyber conference and tradeshow Sept. 16-18; and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street’s best week of the year as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announces roadmap to cut short-term borrowing rates; Boeing’s International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers overwhelmingly vote to strike; analysis of the market prospects for the innovative RISE engine developed by GE and Safran through their CFM partnership that just celebrated its 50th anniversary; Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden says that the company is willing reenter the Air Force’s Penetrating Counter-Air program as service leaders reconsider the requirements for the key element of the Next Generation Air Dominance effort; Netherlands is buying six more F-35 fighters; the dual between Lockheed Martin’s C-130 and Embraer’s KC-390 transports; and what to expect at the Air and Space Forces’ Association’s annual Air Space Cyber conference next week.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss congressional madness as lawmakers return to Washington, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville delays promotion of new US Army Pacific commander, the national security implications of the fiery presidential debate between vice president Kamala Harris and former President Trump, President Biden to allow Ukraine to use US weapons against Russian territory as Vladimir Putin again threatens the alliance, Asia’s focus on US-China shadowboxing amid the US election as Kim Jung Un reveals his top secret uranium enrichment plant and calls for accelerating nuclear weapons production, and the controversy over Israel’s killing of an American peace protestor and more UN humanitarian workers.

The US Air Force is conducting simultaneous, ambitious programs to build aircraft, missiles, and other systems, all while reoptimizing for great power competition. The head of Air Force Materiel Command, General Duke Richardson, gets into the details, including Sentinel news. And the week’s headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

On this month’s innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Greg Allen, the director of the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technology at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Doug Berenson, a partner in the Aerospace, Defense and Government Services Practice at the Oliver Wyman consultancy, to discuss their commentary — “Why Is the U.S. Defense Industrial Base So Isolated from the U.S. Economy?” — the historic benefits of having a unitary national industrial base; how the defense industry became increasingly isolated from commercial industry and its implications on innovation, competition as well as scaling production; how the US government can attract more commercial firms to the fold; importance of presidential leadership and the government making clear the big military problems it needs to solve to spur industry to find solutions; the challenges faced by the current innovation ecosystem; and the need to tap allied industrial capacity. To learn more about the Ap ex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Amb. Mohammed Siad Doualeh, Djibouti’s ambassador to the United States as well as the country’s representative to the United Nations, discusses key issues that need to be addressed by world leaders when the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York, whether the worst famine in four decades can be averted because of ongoing conflict in Sudan, how to address Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that have precipitated a drop in commercial traffic through the key waterway and threaten ecological disaster as ships are damaged and sunk, a survey of regional crises and progress made over the past year, how regional conflict and instability is driving global migration, combatting mpox now that the World Health Organization has declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern in the wake of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, countering Russian and Chinese dis- and misinformation, and advice on how the two US presidential candidates and campaigns should think of Africa through Election Day and beyond with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses mounting Russian pressure on Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar, the strategic importance of the two to Russian planes to gain ground in Donbas, Ukraine’s ability to stymie Moscow’s plans, Kyiv’s latest call to use Western arms against Russia, and the stability of Vladimir Putin’s regime as Ukrainian forces seize more ground in Kursk; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses “the surprises” from the Russo-Ukrainian war, how the US is countering Chinese economic coersion, Boeing’s importance for broader US industrial health and competitiveness, an analysis of the economic and tax policies of the two presidential candidates, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss a down week on Wall Street ending in a hard sell off; Airbus and Embraer release their order and delivery figures; Pentagon acquisition and sustainment undersecretary Dr. Bill LaPlante’s decision to rescind a key approval for the the Milestone B approval of the US Air Force’s Sentinel Next Generation Strategic Deterrent program led by Northrop Grumman; the European Air Safety Agency has ordered inspections of Rolls Royce engines on Airbus 350-1000 jets after a fire on a Cathay Pacific airliner; Boeing’s unionized workers will vote Sept. 12 on whether to strike; the Air Force will buy from Boeing more of Leonardo’s MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters; NASA prepares to return the Boeing’s StarLiner spacecraft to earth; with the Pentagon’s decision to extend the lifespan of the F-35 Lightning II fighter program from 2077 to 2088, the total program cost is up to $2 trillion even as unit prices for the jets are coming down; Philippine’s interest in 40 new combat aircraft.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss what to expect from Congress when they return to DC for 13 days before recessing for the election; update on presidential, Senate and House races with only nine weeks left to Election Day; whether Ukraine’s Kursk offensive will prove a costly miscalculation as Russia advances on Donbas; Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to shuffle his cabinet as Kyiv continues to lobby Washington and its allies to allow use of Western weapons against Russia; the US government alleges Russian and Chinese interference in American politics; takeaways from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s Beijing visit as a Chinese ship again collides with a Filipino one; and Bibi Netanyahu brushes aside mass protests demanding as well as what’s said to be the final US-Egypt-Qatar proposal to end of the Gaza war.

DoD’s Replicator initiative has been something of an enigma from the start. Veteran analyst Dr. Ted Harshberger joins us to explain where Replicator is now, what comes next, and how (or if) it fits with NGAD. Plus a 1985 munition proposal you never heard of. And, of course, we have headlines in airpower, all thanks to GE!

Eric Fanning, the president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the defense budget outlook as Congress returns to Washington briefly before recessing until after the election, other defense and aerospace legislative priorities for the association, how the presidential candidates would impact the US defense and aerospace industrial base, priority investment areas to grow US capabilities, the impact of the Biden administration’s first ever industrial policy and PPBE reforms, and more.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the latest headlines and looks at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street ended the week strong before the Labor Day holiday, the US government hits RTX with a $200 million fine for improperly sharing technology with China as analysts ask whether more companies will also be penalized, Serbia orders Rafale fighters by Dassault Aviation while Thailand opts for the E- and F-model of the Gripen by Saab, whey Airbus and Sikorsky both decided against bidding for a UK helicopter contract, UK defense budget outlook as Starmer government makes clear cuts are coming, Britain and Germany strike a wide-ranging treaty that spans defense, science, technology and deeper economic cooperation, defense industrial implications as Germany’s right wing AFD party gains ground in Thuringia, and Britain concludes arms being used by Israel in Gaza could be used in violation of international humanitarian law, immediately suspending 30 licenses for components for fighter planes, helicopters and drones.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral and former INDOPACOM J-3 who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss a US presidential campaign in full swing, controversy over former President Trump’s campaign visit to Arlington Cemetery, Ukraine continues its advance into Russia as analysts say Moscow lacks the people or equipment to stop it, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s visit to Beijing as China is accused of stealing US internet service provider data and Indo-Pacific Commander Adm. Sam Paparo says US ships might have to escort Filipino ships being bullied by Chinese forces, the US Navy awards Korea’s Hanwha Ocean a contract to repair a US logistics support ship, and Middle East tensions soar as Israel launches air strikes in the West Bank as Jerusalem agrees to suspend Gaza strikes to allow a UN emergency vaccination drive after the first polio case in a generation was detected in the enclave.

The Collaborative Combat Aircraft promises to redefine how the U.S. Air Force flies and fights. But what is it, and how do we get from here to there? The author of a new report on CCAs, Gregory Allen, director of the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technology at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, join us with some of the answers. And of course, we have headlines in airpower. Thanks, GE!

Bill Lynn, former deputy defense secretary and current Leonardo DRS Chairman and CEO, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the budget outlook, growth markets in a tight budget environment, how the two presidential candidates would impact defense spending if elected, the impact of the Biden administration’s first ever defense industrial strategy, whether long-running reform efforts are changing how the Pentagon does business, how the company decides what to make in house and what to buy from suppliers as analysts suggest that vertical integration is increasingly key to accelerating programs and better controlling cost, how the Pentagon will regard industry for their investment as companies like Anduril raise private capital to develop weapons for the Pentagon, and a status report on Leonardo DRS as the second anniversary of it’s December 2022 listing approaches.

Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the budget outlook as Congress prepares to return to DC early next month, the Pentagon’s innovation efforts, why vertical integration will be increasingly important for Pentagon contractors, Anduril’s growth strategy, and why former President Trump’s endorsement of a Space National Guard is a bad idea.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discusses his takeaways from the Democratic National Convention and compares national security messaging from both parties presidential campaigns, a growing sense that the Russo-Ukrainian war is approaching stalemate in 2025, his latest essay “The Four Rungs on the Defense Wall of Worry,” and a look at the week ahead.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy, join host Vago Muradian discuss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s statement that the central bank would cut interest rates by half a percent especially after employment figures were adjusted downward; Sierra Nevada wins the US Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System or HADES spyplane contract; Boeing sells 36 new AH-64 helicopters to South Korea, but the company’s 777X jetliner is grounded after the company discovered a structural issue that will be expensive to fix; the last of 23 VH-92 helicopters were delivered to the Marine Corps by Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky as the president’s new helicopter, but it can’t replace aging Blackhawks and Sea Kings until the new aircraft is cleared to land on the White House lawn; companies like Bell that selected Spirit AeroSystems for defense aerostructures work are said to be considering ending those contracts after Boeing buys its former unit; and NASA decides two astronauts stuck in space since their Boeing StarLiner experienced problems on its maiden flight to the International Space Station will return to earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in February.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Cavas Ships co-host Chris Servello, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian discuss takeaways from the Democratic convention that nominated Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the party’s candidates for president and vice president; national security themes from Chicago; Ukraine’s offensive into Russia continues as Russian forces gain ground in Donbas; Beijing protests senior US officials meeting with the Dalai Lama; Chinese and Philippine ships collide in the South China Sea; the Gaza war continues as hopes of a ceasefire fade; Iran wavers on attacking Israel; and top Israel security leaders warn that Jewish extremists represent an existential threat to Israel.

Modernization, low reenlistment, recruitment challenges, and re-orienting a force for great power competition aren’t just concerns for the active Air Force. We’ll talk these issues and more with the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Lieutenant General John Healy. And of course, the week’s top headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

James Chew, the global group director for aerospace and defense at Cadence Design Systems who also is the chair of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Science and Engineering Technology Division, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how DoD can better harness commercial innovation for military needs, the key to greater agility, making tradeoffs to field systems at the speed of relevance at affordable cost, impact of microelectronics investment and where else the government needs to invest to bolster US industrial capacity, and whether efforts to throttle adversary nations like China can succeed.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dr. Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs who also advises on the agenda at the annual Halifax International Security Forum in Nova Scotia every November, discusses the latest polling in the US presidential race, top issues for voters and where national security ranks among their concerns, notion of immigration as a national security issue, how public perceptions can shape more thoughtful immigration policies, impact of vice presidential choices on race, impact of the Gaza war on Democrats and how unruly pro-Palestinian demonstrations could undermine Harris’ tough on crime image, perceptions of Israel in the wake of the Gaza war, global security concerns, perceptions of Russia and Ukraine as the war grinds on, and an update on right wing as well as populist movements worldwide with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discuss Ukraine’s continuing invasion that’s seized more than 1,000 square kilometers in Russia’s Kursk region, Moscow’s inability to stop Ukraine’s advance, how Vladimir Putin will respond, and whether Kyiv’s gambit will change the vector of the conflict; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses a draft paper by Arizona State University’s Hendrik Bessembinder — Which Stocks Generated the Highest Long-Term Returns — over the past century, Rheinmetall’s proposed $950 million acquisition of Loc Performance, Boeing’s big week for F-15 fighters as well as AH-64 helicopters and E-7 radar planes, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy, join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street’s strongest strongest run in nine months on a brighter US economic forecast after lower than expected inflation; a big week for Boeing as Israel orders 50 new F-15 Eagle II fighters with plans to refurbish 25 older model jets, Poland commits to buying 96 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and the US Air Force puts the E-7 radar plane under a development contract; coming off record earnings, Rheinmetall proposes the $950 million acquisition of Loc Performance, a Michigan based engineering company with a role on key US Army’s vehicle programs as well as agricultural and construction equipment; the Global Business Travel Association says that business travel won’t return to pre pandemic levels until 2027; and Ukraine’s widening invasion of Russia.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian discuss a US presidential race that continues to tighten as Democrats will gather next week in Chicago for their nominating convention, Harris’ and former President Trump’s national security views, Ukrainian forces’ depending attack into Russia, the State Department’s export control exemptions to realize the AUKUS partnership for new nuclear attack submarines or other technologies, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s decision to step down at the end of the month, US-Japan-Korea relations deepen as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proposes a new North Korea policy, Israel steps up operations in Gaza compounding the humanitarian crisis in the enclave as Iran and its proxies continue to deliberate on how to respond to Israel’s recent assassination of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as Israel redraws the West Bank to permanently preclude a possible future Palestinian state.

The F-15EX Eagle II isn’t your (grand) father’s fighter. It’s in demand around the world. We’ll find out all about it – and hints of things to come -- from Mark Sears, Boeing’s VP of Fighters, and Rob Novotny, their Director of Business Development for Fighters. And we have the week’s top headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

On this month’s innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex technology and innovation conference next January in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Dan Fata, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO during the Bush administration who is now the principal at the Fata Advisory consultancy, and Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the department of homeland security who is now with the new technology advisory firm Washington Office, discuss the new DC chapter of the Capital Factory in Austin — Station DC — that aims to become the nexus of the technology ecosystem in Washington, the importance of bringing together the entire tech community from small firms to heritage primes and everything in between, Station DC’s role in bringing together industry, the Pentagon as well as lawmakers, the bottlenecks innovative firms see as impediments to progress and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the executive director of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 project, discusses his recent participation in a wargame in Taiwan that explored how China can economically coerce the island democracy in ways below the threshold for a US response, how Washington and its allies need to rethink their approach to Beijing’s novel techniques to undermine Taiwan and other regional governments, efforts to better bring together Indo-Pacific and European allies toe better deter China, whether US efforts to bolster its warfighting capabilities are making progress quickly enough to continue deterring Beijing, and the role of US Air Force B-2 bombers in the recent sinking of a decommissioned amphibious assault ship and the need for more and longer-range anti-ship weapons with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discuss Ukraine’s offensive into Russia’s Kursk region; whether the risks of the operations are worth the rewards; how Moscow will respond; and what to expect from the Army 2024 arms show; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses takeaways from the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies conference last week; Anduril’s move to raise $1.5 billion for a giant new production facility for large-scale unmanned systems production; prospects for a wider regional war as Iran considering attacking Israel after Jerusalem assassinated key Hezbollah and Hamas leaders; Ukraine’s attack into Russia; polling in US presidential race and Vice President Harris’ national security stance; and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy, join host Vago Muradian discuss world markets rocked by Japan’s biggest stock plunge since 1987; Boeing’s new CEO Kelly Ortberg tells employees he and his team will be walking factory floors — and does so on Day One at the company’s helm; NASA suggests that two astronauts launched on Boeing’s StarLiner spacecraft in June might have to be recovered by SpaceX next February; Rheinmetall posts record-breaking sales; Anduril raises $1.5 billion to “rebuild the arsenal of democracy” by “hyperscale” hiring, investment and facilities for new weapons production; a Voepass airlines ATR 72 regional turboprop crashed outside Sao Paolo killing all 62 aboard; British Airways and Virgin have both suspended flights to China; and Joby Aviation claims it will start commercial air taxi services in Dubai next year.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian discuss Vice President Harris’ decision to tap Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate as the Democratic ticket gains ground on former President Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance; Ukraine launches an offensive into Russia; the leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar call on Israel and Gaza to strike a ceasefire that would release hostages and end bloodshed in the devastated Palestinian enclave; Australia and America deepen their already deep partnership; Norway joins a US carrier deployment in the Pacific; Germany joins the UN Command policing the inter-Korean border; and Pentagon acquisition and sustainment chief Bill LaPlante is seeking weapons cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

It’s been a very busy few weeks in airpower, with a new blue-ribbon panel to reconsider NGAD and NGAS, FLRAA going into full scale development, F-16s arriving in Ukraine, and much more. Aviation Week defense editor Steve Trimble helps make sense of it all, including the top headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!

Justin Sherman, the founder of Global Cyber Strategies advisory firm and nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, discusses the new report he authored — “Russia’s Digital Tech Isolationism: Domestic Innovation, Digital Fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s Push to Replace Western Digital Technology” — how Moscow uses its digital technology for global advantage, impact of sanctions that have driven a rise in domestic capability and greater partnership and reliance on China, the global market for Russian and Chinese digital technologies among nations that want to operate outside US and Western sanctions, how to counter Russian dis and misinformation, and outlook for social media regulation in Washington with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Dmitri Alperovich, the chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank who co-founded the cyber security giant CrowdStrike , discusses the new book he coauthored with Garrett Graff — “World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century.” — similarities and lessons from the West’s Cold War competition with the Soviet Union, why China is more vulnerable than the Soviet Union and how the West can win the contest, how best to cooperate with Beijing, and a report card on US efforts to improve cyber security with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discuss last week’s deal that saw Russia exchange innocent Americans and Russian activists for Russian assassins, spies and hackers, and whether the deal will prompt Moscow to take more hostages in the future; update on the Ukraine war and growing worries that Kyiv is losing the conflict and if so, what Western nations can do to change the battlefield dynamic; a new Duma law that prohibits soldiers from using their personal electronic devices on the front; and how Vice President Harris and those around her regard Russia, Ukraine and NATO; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the sharp market drop on Aug. 5, 2024, and how global worries impacted defense and aerospace equities; a look at Boeing’s results last week and news that Kelly Ortberg will succeed Dave Calhoun as the giant’s CEO; defense budget prospects as Senate appropriators cleared 11 of 12 spending bills before leaving town for August; prospect of a wider Middle East war war as Iran vows retaliation after Israel assassinated top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, including one in Tehran; and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy, join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street meltdown on a sharper than expected drop in new jobs even as the Federal Reserve said rate cuts are imminent; Boeing taps one of the industry host highly regarded retirees — former Collins CEO Kelly Ortberg — as its new chief executive as the company also reports dismal earnings and needs to raise capital; Airbus, BAE Systems, MTU, and Rolls-Royce also report earnings; and the Air Force says still going to develop a new, six-generation manned fighter even as it rethinks the penetrating counter air portion of the Next-Generation Air Dominance program.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian to discuss the Senate’s mark up of four appropriations bills including defense; the decision to exchange Russian killers, spies and thugs to free American reporters and rights activists from captivity in Russia; soaring tensions in the Middle East after Israel assassinated two Hamas and one Hezbollah leader and whether Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s goal is a wider regional war; Russia’s steady advance in Ukraine; China hacks into Germany’s cartography office as America revamps its Indo-Pacific relationships to better deter Beijing; and a look at the US presidential race and possible candidates to serve as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.